badly

[ bad-lee ]

adverb

, worse, worst.

1. in a defective, incorrect, or undesirable way:

   The car runs badly.

2. in an unsatisfactory, inadequate, or unskilled manner:

   a vague, badly written letter; He paints badly.

3. unfavorably:

   His neighbors spoke badly of him. The weather turned out badly for the cruise.

4. in a wicked, evil, or morally or legally wrong way.
5. in a disobedient, naughty, or ethically or socially wrong way:

   He treats his parents badly.

6. very much; to a great extent or degree:

   a house badly in need of repair; to want something badly.

7. severely; direly:

   to be injured badly.

8. with great distress, resentment, regret, or emotional display:

   She took the news of her mother's death badly.

adjective

1. in ill health; sick:

   He felt badly.

2. sorry; regretful:

   I feel badly about your reaction to my remark.

3. dejected; downcast.

badly

/ ˈbædlɪ /

adverb

1. poorly; defectively; inadequately

   the chair is badly made

2. unfavourably; unsuccessfully; unfortunately

   our scheme worked out badly

3. severely; gravely

   he was badly hurt

4. incorrectly or inaccurately

   to speak German badly

5. improperly; naughtily; wickedly

   to behave badly

6. without humanity; cruelly

   to treat someone badly

7. very much (esp in the phrases need badly , badly in need of , want badly )
8. regretfully

   he felt badly about it

9. badly off
   poor; impoverished

adjective

1. dialect.
   postpositive ill; poorly

Usage Note

In the sense “very much,” badly is fully standard: He needs help badly. bad ¹.

Word History and Origins

Origin of badly¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English baddeli, baddeliche, badli(che) “wickedly, evilly, poorly”; bad ¹, -ly

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. badly off. bad ¹( def 41 ).

Example Sentences

Research by the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs suggests a third of farmers in Northern Ireland will be affected, with the dairy sector particularly badly hit.

From BBC

In a statement, the family of one of the three boys assaulted by Millar said: "Even though he was mistreated badly, he thought it was the norm."

From BBC

“I was damaging myself so badly,” she said.

From BBC

Both he and his party are doing badly in the polls.

From BBC

I also feel very badly and worried about undocumented and documented immigrants and many other vulnerable people who will be in deep trouble when Trump takes power.

From Salon

Related Words

• deeply
• greatly
• hard
• painfully
• seriously
• severely